Payment of Existence

The Abyssals set out to rout a demanding water god for the leaders of Vakingrad.
They did so and upon returning found Grotto destroyed and The Solars waiting for them.
Dorn killed Storm of Grim Harvest and was knocked unconscious by Lament.
Orzam retreated.
Guide killed Dorn.

Wait, you...

In the year it would take to upgrade the Harbinger with her full complement of weapons, Guide to Journey’s End took up his burden to go see The Most Divine in the Northern Wyld. After tracking down her kidnapping activities, they managed to stage themselves as victims, and won free transportation to Mount Shifsa, her dwelling place.

Guide thought that the two Fair Folk might be re-united, as their falling out was caused by the late Scarlet Empress and the Defense Grid. Unfortunately, the terms of the encumbrances placed on Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty prevented him from coming into the Wyld willingly. The circle lured him out of his underground lair in Marama’s Fell, and carried him via behemoth back to the mountain.

After much discussion, of which the circle was not privy, the two set aside past greviances to unite to destroy Creation. Tysvar Ty still holds the debt unfulfilled, as Guide did not follow his instructions to kill The Most Divine, and will call on it in the future.

Chattin' It Up

A few things needed wrapping up in the Fell before the circle could leave. The Hundred Nightmare Army was sent away with the letter given to you by The Bishop of the Chalcedony Thurdible. Guide to Journey’s End spoke to an upset Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty and agreed that he had cheated in their contest, and offered his service. Tysvar Ty tasked him with killing The Most Divine, a Raksha in the Northern Wyld, sometime within a year and a day.

With that, the Circle headed back to The Grotto and were given a hearty welcome by its inhabitants. Isa was there, and asked to live in the shadowlands, despite Dorn’s laws to the contrary. Her request was granted. Secondly, Weeping Raiton Cast Aside appeared from a door either unknown or newly created and spoke with the Abyssals about their intentions and attitudes. With a final question on Sophist of the Red Sight, she was gone.

After three months, it was time to sail to the Vale of Dust and Shadow to meet with Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears. There they witnessed the ghosts of the Tear Eater’s tribe, a nearby barbarian people, offer themselves to be made into soulsteel for the Lover, and asked only that after they had outlived usefulness, they be cast into the Void. The Lover agreed, with an air of familiarity.

The circle spent a week in the Vale, with Lament being the only one to not sleep with the Lover. During this time Exquisite Pain, a daybreak of Lover Clad’s, drew up plans to add First Age weaponry to the Harbringer. They metTerrifying End-Times Malediction during this time, who offered work from his master once his work in the Vale was concluded. He also delivered a message from The Mistress with the White Hands, sending pleasantries and an invitation to stay in Stygia at their next convenience.

Paving the Way for Achiba

Following Achiba’s battle plans, the players marched to the East, to the northern border of the territory of Tel’Oran. On the way, they got the aid of Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty as well as experimenting with activating the First Age constructs. Most are in disrepair, and of the ones still in shape, it seems likely they’ll only respond to a Solar.

The battle ensued, with a battle of kill counts between the Abyssals and Tysvar Ty. Rapidly the warrior displayed his trickery, as his army would only maim the enemy ghosts, leaving the killing blow only for their leader. In this way he racked up far more kills than anyone. Lament of Blessings Lost took advantage by sniping kills, but the contest ended when Guide to Journey’s End tried to disarm his competitor. He withdrew, and called the contest off entirely.

The warlord of the dead beastmen, Tel’Oran, emerged to challenge the three Abyssals to combat with his three best fighters: himself, Sacha Twin-Rivers, and Noble Yedim. Parties were shocked to see each other again all around, the Lunars having thought the Fell safe from the influence of Deathlords. The fight went on until Guide and Tel’Oran were standing, at which point the latter surrendered for lack of essence. All the blows were pulled, so no Exalt died. The beastmen surrendered to Achiba’s army, and so the day was won.

Ten Thousand What Now?

Storm of Grim Harvest won a minor victory against the Vinthar Alliance. The ghosts he took prisoner were not eager to see Thrice-Dead Achiba rise to power, thus ending their gang warfare forever. Many spirits here would like to see their battle repeated on and on, it seems.

The Abyssal circle visited Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty in his underground base, where they learned he cannot accept any alliance for past reasons left ill-explained. He did agree to compete on the battlefield in a challenge of body count with the circle, but that isn’t an alliance.

Well played, deathknights.

Finally, a fellow Abyssal took the circle, sans Ten-Scalpel Adharma, to the Hidden Tabernacle. There they met The Bishop of the Chalcedony Thurdible, who was concerned about consolidation of the Fell. He asked the circle to work to make inroads for his priests to preach the Shining Path, and to warn Achiba about approaching the Lover face to face, as her charms would overwhelm him. They agreed, and an open offer of instruction in a martial art was offered. After the meeting, the Abyssal Ten Thousand Virtues escorted them out.

Pain Becomes You

At the Grotto, the Abyssals dealt with the Circus Moribund seeking entry to Vakingrad. A deal was struck that they could perform only the censored play edited together byOrzam. The Melkin Fool in Red was disappointed, but performed anyway.

The group then traveled to Marama’s Fell, where they met Ruined Mantle of Grace, a Minikin ghost. After rapidly defeating him, he took them to see Thrice-Dead Achiba and his golem, Nameless Man of Iron. Achiba accepted their terms of aid from Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears, and presented the forces arrayed against him.

The Abyssals, thinking that control of the Manse would give them an edge, traveled to the far north of the shadowlands. There they met the Hundred Nightmare Army, a mercenary company based in the Labyrinth. They granted passage to the Manse and there they met a formidable Defense Grid. With the use of his Resistance charms and careful management of his Essence, Lament of Blessings Lost claimed the Manse as his, and returned with two hearthstones.

A First Meeting With Lover Clad

With the workers and craftsmen of Vakingrad, allowed special dispensation to work in the Grotto, and the slave labor provided by the stranger Ten-Scalpel Adharma, the Grotto looks well on its way to being livable.

With this work set down, the group traveled to the Vale of Dust and Shadow to meet with the Deathlord there, Ten-Scalpel’s master, Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears. Upon their arrival, she wasted no time using her Charms to win them over into her bed. Guide to Journey’s End and Lament of Blessing’s Lost chose to endure the physical pain of refusing the Lover’s advances, but Storm of Grim Harvest welcomed them. Before taking the young deathknight to bed, Lover tasked the Abyssal Circle with aiding in the conquering of Marama’s Fell, and ensuring an alliance with an unquestioned ruler of that shadowlands.

The group returned to the Grotto, to plan their next move, only to find the Circus Moribund waiting for them.